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Dream Stock/Masterfile spring 2016 bca a .coM 17 Stretch That Loonie Don't let canada's weak dollar keep you at home BY BarB sligl A s the dollar plummets, travel costs seem to go the other way. Up. But no one wants to give up a getaway. "Cancelling is an absolute last resort," says Robert Palmer, Public Relations Manager for WestJet Airlines. And we've been through this before. "We have lived with a 20–30 per cent difference in value between the two currencies for decades." Yet the US and Mexico remain number-one and -two of the top countries visited by Canadians, according to Statistics Canada. Rather than stop travelling, "When the dollar is weak, some Canadians may try to save money on their US vacations by eating out fewer nights or looking for coupons or discounts on tickets to attractions," says Palmer. "They may change their itineraries or even shorten their stays by a day or two." But not travel? No way. The loonie may have dropped more than 25 per cent against the US dollar, but your travel plans don't have to. Expert Tips • Take advantage of early-booking bonuses and other incentives in the market. "Most vacation companies will advertise deals periodically,"says Palmer. • Check online regularly, don't discriminate (compare what the major vacation companies and airlines—WestJet, Air Transat, Air Canada, Sunwing—are offering) and set up Internet alerts for the destinations you want to visit. When you see a deal, grab it. • Be your own travel agent. If a last-minute deal does pop up, take advantage if that works for your schedule. If not, wait for those last- minute deals. Either way – the web is everyone's travel database. • travel destinations Visit bcaa.com/travel to start planning your next getaway

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